💵 Research supported by NRF_SouthAfrica (Grant 137791), EU Horizon 2020 @mycobiomics.bsky.social MSCA No. 101008129), and FLAIR (FLR\R1\201831). Thank you for making this work possible!

And with this, @claudettedewing.bsky.social is one step closer to completing her PhD, her thesis has been submitted for examination las week! 🎓👏 @cobusvisagie.bsky.social

3/ Several new species reveal a huge blind spot in our understanding of pasture fungi and their effects on livestock health. Our findings highlight the urgent need for better fungal monitoring to help protect cattle health and secure South Africa’s dairy industry.

2/ The genus #Fusarium was the most common, where we’ve already described three novel species. We also confirmed #Pseudopithomycestoxicarius, the fungus producing the toxin that causes SILD in South African cattle.
🐄 🇿🇦

On a personal note: this was the first big event I was hands-on involved in organising—and I enjoyed it tremendously and learned so much along the way. The connections we made here go far beyond projects and grants, they’re for life. 🌍🍄🧫🔬🧪🧬 @bernardslippers.bsky.social @ms-fungi.bsky.social

The #Mycobiomics Meeting celebrated science & culture while strengthening global ties to tackle challenges in health, agriculture & biotech.
🗂️ Presentations are on Zenodo: zenodo.org/communities/...
Thanks to @MSCActions for the support! #Horizon2020 @mycobiomics.bsky.social

Beyond the science, the week was filled with memorable cultural and social events:
🍷 Welcome at @FutureAfrica
🔬 FABI, UPLC & NMR lab tours
🖼️ Private tour of the Javett Art Centre
🐘 Safari in Pilanesberg @funguscrous.bsky.social @ms-fungi.bsky.social @bernardslippers.bsky.social

The scientific programme featured 32 talks delivered in themed mini-symposia, covering topics from #fungaltaxonomy, biodiversity to natural products with a guest speaker Peter Mortimer (Applied Symbiotics) on “New perspectives on how we can use and produce #mushrooms – lessons from Asia.” 🍄

5/ The expedition didn’t end in the field. Most of the team then travelled to 🇿🇦 to join the Mycobiomics meeting at #FABI, continuing discussions & strengthening international networks in fungal research @ms-fungi.bsky.social @funguscrous.bsky.social @nerimanyilmaz82.bsky.social

4/ From forest floors to lab benches to conference halls, this collaboration is a powerful reminder of how global partnerships drive science forward, especially in uncovering the hidden world of fungi. 🍄💡

3/ Each day ended with lab sessions: processing samples, exchanging techniques, and diving deep into the shared passion for fungal diversity. These moments of collaboration were as valuable as the time in the forest. 🔬💬✨ @ms-fungi.bsky.social @helmholtzhzi.bsky.social

2/ Hosted by Josphat Matasyoh (@EgertonUniversity), the team explored multiple sites to collect soil, mushrooms, and insect- & plant-associated fungi in one of East Africa’s richest biodiversity hotspots. 🌱🌿🪲 @ms-fungi.bsky.social @helmholtzhzi.bsky.social @lisha-hzi.bsky.social

4/ Although Bisifusarium spp. are seen as saprotrophs, genomics suggest more... 👀 B. domesticum has few CAZymes but many small-secreted proteins, possible hidden pathogenicity? This is something we will look at in the future
Big thanks to the team and more to come 🧬🍄 @mycobiomics.bsky.social

3/ One of the new species was isolated by us in the Gobabeb desert (Namibia) back in Nov 2019—from arid soil! 🌍 Fungal biodiversity in extreme environments continues to surprise us.

2/ In this study, Zhang et al. examined 116 isolates and expanded the genus from 16 to 25 species, 8 of which are newly described! 📈🧫
www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/...